You're sitting on the couch, surrounded by empty pizza boxes and lukewarm coffee. It’s 2:00 a.m. The game started seven hours ago. Your eyes are bloodshot, but you can’t look away because the NHL playoffs have entered the realm of the absurd. We’ve all been there—that delirious state where you start wondering if there are actually secret nhl 7th overtime rules that kick in to finally send everyone home.
Honestly? There aren't.
That is the terrifying and beautiful truth about playoff hockey. While the regular season is all about efficiency, shootouts, and 3-on-3 sprints, the postseason is a gladiator match with no expiration date. If a game goes to a 7th overtime, the rules are exactly the same as the 1st overtime. The league doesn't suddenly switch to 2-on-2 or bring out a second puck to speed things up.
The Never-Ending Format
Basically, once regulation ends in a tie during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the "real" hockey begins. The NHL uses a continuous, 20-minute, 5-on-5 sudden-death format. If nobody scores in the first 20 minutes, they clear the ice, take a full 15-minute intermission, and do it again.
And again.
And again.
Theoretically, a game could last for days. There is no rule in the NHL handbook that says "enough is enough" at the 7th overtime mark. The officials don't step in to declare a draw, and they certainly don't go to a shootout. You play until a piece of vulcanized rubber crosses a goal line, or until everyone on the ice literally collapses from exhaustion.
Why 7th Overtime is a Mythical Beast
To be clear, we haven't actually seen a 7th overtime in the modern era. The longest game in NHL history took place on March 24, 1936. The Detroit Red Wings played the Montreal Maroons for 116 minutes and 30 seconds of overtime. That’s nearly six full extra periods. Mud Bruneteau finally scored in the 6th OT to end the madness.
If a game ever reached a 7th overtime today, here is what the reality would look like:
- Total Game Time: You’d be looking at over 200 minutes of hockey. That’s more than three full games played back-to-back.
- The Physical Toll: Players would be burning roughly 1,000 calories an hour. By the 7th OT, they’d be running on nothing but sheer adrenaline and smelling salts.
- The Ice Quality: Even with Zamboni runs between periods, the ice becomes "snowy" and slow. This is why you see so many weird, flukey goals in late overtime—the puck just stops behaving.
The Referees and the "Unwritten" Rules
While the rulebook doesn't change, the way the game is called definitely does. If you've ever watched a 4OT thriller, you know the refs become almost invisible. They don't want to be the reason a marathon ends.
Unless a player basically commits a felony on the ice, whistles stay in pockets. This "let them play" mentality is one of the most debated aspects of deep overtime. Critics say it leads to dangerous hacks and trips; fans say it preserves the integrity of the win. By a hypothetical 7th overtime, the players would likely be so tired they couldn't even commit a penalty if they tried.
Modern Marathons: The 2020 Bubble Drama
We came somewhat close to the "infinite game" during the 2020 playoffs in the Toronto bubble. The Tampa Bay Lightning and Columbus Blue Jackets went into a 5th overtime. Brayden Point eventually ended it, but not before Joonas Korpisalo set an NHL record with 85 saves.
That game lasted 150 minutes and 27 seconds.
People were losing their minds. The game following them on the schedule had to be postponed because the ice literally couldn't be prepared in time. If that game had reached a 7th overtime, the NHL would have faced a genuine logistical nightmare.
Survival Mode: What Players Do
I've heard stories from retired players about what happens in the dressing room during these marathons. It’s not about strategy anymore. It’s about survival.
- Hydration is useless: At a certain point, water just sloshes in the stomach. Trainers start handing out Pedialyte, mustard packets (for cramps), and energy gels.
- Equipment swaps: Players will go through three or four pairs of socks because they get so heavy with sweat.
- The "Wall": Most guys hit a wall around the end of the 2nd OT. If you can push past that, you enter a weird, Zen-like state of autopilot.
Is There Any Alternative?
Every few years, someone suggests the NHL should change the rules for deep overtimes. Maybe go to 4-on-4 after the 3rd overtime? Or maybe—god forbid—a shootout after the 5th?
The purists (myself included) hate this. The whole point of the Stanley Cup is that it is the hardest trophy to win in professional sports. If you can't survive a 7th overtime, you don't deserve the ring. The exhaustion is part of the lore. It’s why we remember names like Petr Nedved (1996 4OT winner) or Keith Primeau (2000 5OT winner) decades later.
What to do when the game goes long
If you find yourself watching a game that looks like it might actually hit those elusive nhl 7th overtime rules, here is your survival guide:
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- Pace your snacks: Don't eat all the wings in the 1st period. You need endurance too.
- Check the goalie stats: Keep an eye on save percentages. Usually, one goalie starts "looking small" in the net as fatigue sets in. That’s when the end is near.
- Appreciate the grind: You are watching something that might not happen again for another decade.
The reality is that 7th overtime doesn't exist yet in the record books, and there are no special rules waiting for it. It's just more hockey. More sweat. More stress. And eventually, one single, glorious goal that ends the night.
If you’re tracking a live game right now, check the official NHL app or a real-time tracker like Flashscore to see the current "Time on Ice" (TOI) leaders. Seeing a defenseman with 60+ minutes of ice time is the quickest way to understand just how insane these rules really are.